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Developing Independent Learning in English Studies

Status

Completed October 2004

Brief description

This project investigated: what constitutes independent study in English
in the perceptions of the academic and student subject community; how to
support independence through online resources and activities; and how best
to develop independence in a planned and coherent way throughout a programme
of study in English.

Background

There is a traditional understanding that the goal of higher education
is to develop students as autonomous learners. English has traditionally
placed emphasis on the value of independent work, not only in specific modules
such as dissertations, but as an underpinning activity for all learning in
English studies. In this context, this project investigated questions about
independent learning which have not so far been asked specifically within
the discipline:

What kinds of activities might best develop independent learners in
English?

How independence be developed in a planned and coherent way from Level
1 through to Level 3?

Project design

Teaching staff were released to evaluate relevant units at Levels 1, 2
and 3 via student surveys and to develop some independent learning resources.
An event was held in October 2004 to disseminate the work of the project

Key findings

A decisive majority of students responding to questionnaires felt that
they had become or were becoming increasingly independent learners in the
course of their degrees. However, some obstacles to independent study were
identified which might be broadly classified as: lack of confidence, pressures
on study time and lack of knowledge of how to find appropriate resources
in the library or on the web. The extent and nature of use of the specially
developed independent learning resources was identified. Overall the project
concluded that students need support in becoming independent learners.